This invention relates to a copying/duplicating machine (a reproduction machine for making copies or prints of an original), and in particular to a metering arrangement in such a machine for counting the number of prints made by the machine so that a charge can be made for the prints made.
In known reproduction machines such as xerographic machine, a variety of counting arrangements have been employed. In a typical known arrangement, prints made up to a certain number from each original have been counted on a first counter, whereas all prints made from an original in excess of that number have been counted on another counter. It is then possible to charge all copies made from a single original in excess of the chosen number at a lower rate than the first few copies made from that original. This method of counting and billing, therefore, favors a duplicting mode of operation, i.e., one in which many copies are made from each original. In the offset litho method of duplicating an original, it is necessary to first prepare a master from which it is possible to produce as many prints as are required. In this method, therefore, a duplicating mode of operation is favored since the cost of producing each master is high compared with the cost of making an individual print from the master.
The present invention has particular application in the field of xerographic reproduction, and is especially useful in a machine of this kind which has both a manual feed arrangement for placing originals to be duplicated in the machine and an automatic document handling arrangement in which a stack of originals to be duplicated are automatically fed in sequence to the machine. In each case the desired number of prints are automatically made by the machine. In the automatic mode, it is usual for the prints produced by the machine to be sorted automatically into a series of collection bins, so that at the end of each complete copying operation, the required number of prints of the whole stack of originals is produced, one complete set of prints of each original in the stack being found in each of the appropriate number of bins.
The latest concept for electrostatic reproduction machines utilizes high speed flash exposure of a document, and a moving photoconductive material in the form of an endless belt which is continuously charged. Additionally, such machines are provided with a developing system which supplies toner particles in relatively large quantities for solid area coverage, such as a magnetic brush developing apparatus. Thus, after the belt passes the magnetic brush assembly for example, a xerographic powder image is formed on the belt which corresponds to the electrostatic latent image. This powder image is then transferred to a support surface (e.g., a sheet of paper) to which it is fused by a fusing assembly whereby the powder image is caused to adhere to the support surface permanently.
Further description of such a high speed reproduction machine is to be found in copending U. K. patent application No. 56230/73. A machine of this kind incorporating one form of a metering arrangement for billing purposes is described in copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 526,652, filed 25 November 1974.
In connection with counting prints made in the kind of duplicating machine just described, it is useful to use certain terms to describe the operation of the counting methods employed. The following terms, where used throughout this specification and claims, will be given the meanings which follow. A "print" is any copy made by the machine in whatever mode of operation. An "original" is any document fed into or placed in the machine, manually or automatically, for copying thereof. A "job" is a complete reproduction operation, in the automatic mode, from feeding the first original into the machine to delivery from the machine of the last print from the last original.
It will be appreciated that in machines of the kind just described, there is available a considerable range of possible modes of operation, from jobs in which a single print is made from a single original in a manual operation mode to jobs in which hundreds of prints are made from each one of a stack containing many originals. In these circumstances it is desirable to be able to have available a counting arrangement which will allow a user of the machine to be billed in the most economical way according to his predominant mode of use and having regard to the incidence of wear, breakdowns, service calls and the cost of consumable materials.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a reproduction machine including a metering arrangement for counting as desired, numbers of jobs, originals and prints in such a fashion as to allow considerable flexibility in the way the machine user is billed for the use of the machine.